Josh Gordon Still Waits; NFLPA Has Yet To Vote On Revised Drug Policy

Josh Gordon may have to sell another car or two before any possible return to the NFL this year.

Cleveland.com is reporting that each team representative of the NFL Player’s Association was to have voted today on a revised drug policy. However, not only did the player representatives get the revised proposal late, many of them found too many issues to vote on the revised policy.

Josh Gordon will just have to wait.

Many players, including Gordon, Denver wide receiver Wes Welker, and Dallas Cowboys defenseman Orlando Scandrick could have suspensions either reduced or eliminated altogether. In Gordon’s case, the focus is on a much higher threshold for a positive marijuana test, up from its current level of 15 nanograms per milliliter to possibly 50 ng/ml or higher. Gordon’s first sample, measured 16 ng/ml, just barely over the old threshold. Gordon’s second sample tested at 12 ng/ml.

Gordon, whose appeal was rejected Aug. 27, is currently suspended indefinitely, and, at least for the entire 2014 season.

Gordon’s return depends a lot on how the new policy is written and interpreted. The new NFL season officially began March 11th, and if the league and NFLPA adhere to how the current rules go, Gordon’s infractions were before the new season and during the offseason, meaning Gordon would not have been tested under the new guidelines.

Another source said that if the NFL and NFLPA allow Gordon, Welker and others who were suspended in 2014 to have their suspensions altered, others who have been banned since the new collective bargaining agreement went into effect in 2011 will be banging on the NFL’s door.

“It opens up a whole can of worms for players who have been impacted by the policy,” said one source. “They would be better off not letting anyone back in.”

ESPN is reporting that getting the vote done is a bit of a problem. The two sides still have some disagreement on proposed issues, but the NFLPA agreed to take the league’s latest proposal to the player reps for a vote. The union informed the majority of its player reps Monday evening of the development. Four others are involved in the Monday night doubleheader.

One more sticking point is some owners have complained that players like Gordon and Welker may have suspensions lowered or eradicated just because of the new policy. Those owners were displeased that a new agreement would not necessarily alter the standing of their own suspended players. Still, there are many unidentified players in the league’s substance-abuse program who would benefit from the changes, sources said.